US6810987B1 - Earbud headset - Google Patents

Abstract

An earbud headset is provided that includes a speaker housing which advantageously allows for improved comfort, sound quality, and stability in the ear. The speaker housing includes a head portion and a thin edge portion that extends from the head portion to interface with a faceplate. The thin edge portion allows for acoustic coupling to deeper areas of the user's ear to provide better sound quality. A bias member is operably coupled to the speaker housing to contact an upper concha of the user's ear to provide bias forces for improved stability, sound quality, and universal fit.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention generally relates to headsets containing earphones and, more particularly, to an “in-the-ear” type headset apparatus with improved wearing stability, universal fit, and sound quality.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Headsets are gaining in popularity in and out of the workplace as more and more users either have jobs requiring that they spend a substantial amount of time on the telephone or users simply desire to listen to audio or speak on the telephone with their hands free to perform other tasks.

One type of headset, which can incorporate one or two earphones for monaural or stereo listening, is known as an “in-the-ear” type headset or “earbud” headset, which employs earphones that can be disposed in the lower concha area of the ear. Such devices can be used for delivering radio, stereo, two-way, and/or telephonic-type communications to a user.

Hands-free headsets which are placed in the ear must adapt to a wide variety of ear shapes and sizes in order to fit a large percentage of users. Comfort, stability, and high sound quality are key elements that must be met in order for a headset to be acceptable to the end user. However, different ear shapes and sizes make it difficult for a single design to both fit the ear correctly and stabilize the headset. Lack of good coupling to the ear results in unclear transmission of sound from the transducer and inability to block out external noise. Headsets including a microphone coupled by a boom cause additional complexity as these headsets need to support the weight and movement of the boom with just the fit of the earphone in the ear.

A conventional method and apparatus for making an in-the-ear headset fit a wide variety of ear sizes has been to offer various accessories that slip over the earphone to provide a larger profile to fill a lower concha area of the user's ear.

Such previous methods and apparatus have several disadvantages. It has been typically required that the output face of the earphone be maintained in the ear of the user with high force to maintain positional stability. Consequently, a major disadvantage of these previous methods and apparatus has been discomfort from the high contact forces against the ear. Another disadvantage has been the lack of positional stability in the ear after a period of time in which the earphone may become dislodged by the aggregate of movements by the user. Furthermore, most typical speaker caps are too thick and do not allow the speaker to be placed down into the ear adequately for a stable and secure fit. The addition of rubber rings, cushions, or other accessories around the earphone can act to further push the speaker out of the ear and away from the ear canal, resulting in decreased coupling and sound quality. As the ear canal is located in the forward part of the ear, the addition of accessories can actually act to block the sound and further impede the user's ability to hear.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a headset apparatus that is comfortable, stable on the ear, universally fitting, and provides high sound quality.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides an earbud headset that allows for improved comfort, sound quality, and stability on the ear without the need for a headband, ear hook, or other accessories, such as a ring or cushion. Advantageously, a thin edge portion in conjunction with a bias member allows for greater acoustic coupling in front of the ear canal, and since no accessories such as rings or cushions are required, sound may be more clearly transmitted to the ear canal, resulting in improved sound quality.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, an earbud headset is provided, including a speaker housing. The speaker housing includes a head portion for contacting a lower concha of a ear, and a thin edge portion that extends from the head portion to interface with a faceplate. A bias member is operably coupled to the speaker housing and is capable of contacting a portion of the upper concha of the ear.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an earbud headset is provided, including a speaker housing that has a center portion with a concave surface. A head portion, which extends from the center portion for contacting a lower concha of a ear, includes a transducer.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an earbud headset is provided, including a speaker housing that has a tail portion for contacting an intertragic notch of the ear. A center portion, which extends from the tail portion, is capable of contacting a portion of a tragus and an anti-tragus of an ear.

Advantageously, the present invention allows for universal fit in ears of various sizes while providing enhanced sound quality and positional stability.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the detailed description of the embodiments set forth below taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates relevant parts of a typical human ear.

FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of an earbud headset in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a back view and a front view, respectively, of an earbud headset in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an earbud headset including a microphone boom and a microphone pod, disposed in a user's ear, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an earbud headset in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is another perspective view of an earbud headset in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates an earbud headset disposed in a model ear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Use of the same reference symbols in different figures indicates similar or identical items. It is further noted that the drawings may not be drawn to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For illustration purposes and to aid in the understanding of the placement of the present invention, a typical human ear is illustrated in FIG.1. The outer ear, or pinna, is an irregularly concave cartilaginous member including a number of eminences and depressions which give each ear a distinct shape and form. Thehelix29 is the curved outer rim of the ear. Below thehelix29 is the antihelix45. The antihelix45 is a curved prominence which describes a curve around the concha, a deep cavity containing the entry to the ear canal33. The concha is divided into two parts, theupper concha43 and thelower concha41, by the crux of thehelix31 which curves around the outside of the ear, and extends inwards at about the vertical midpoint of the ear. Theupper concha43 lies above the crux of thehelix31 and below the antihelix45. Thelower concha41 lies below the crux of thehelix31 and surrounds the entry to the ear canal33. Theconchal wall47 separates the concha from the antihelix45. In front of thelower concha41 and projecting backwards from the front of the ear is the tragus35, a small semicircular prominence. Opposite the tragus35 and separated from it by the deep curvature of theintertragic notch37 is the antitragus39. Theintertragic notch37 is formed between the tragus35 and the antitragus39.

FIGS. 2,3, and4 illustrate a side view, a back view, and a front view, respectively, of an enhancedearbud headset10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2,earbud headset10 can be used with an audio source11, such as a telephone handset, a cellular phone, a personal computer, a media player, or a communication network. However, the invention is not limited to receiving a signal from a specific audio source.Earbud headset10 may also be used for either monaural or stereo listening by applying anearbud headset10 to one or each ear of a user.

FIG. 2 shows, in one embodiment,earbud headset10, which includes aspeaker housing19.Speaker housing19 includes atail portion14, acenter portion16, a head portion18, and athin edge portion20 that interfaces with a faceplate21 (FIG.4), each portion ofspeaker housing19 being designated by dashed-lines.

In one example,speaker housing19 encases a speaker or anaudio transducer24, in particular within head portion18, in one example. Wires leading from audio source11 totransducer24 are also partially housed withinspeaker housing19.

Speaker housing19 may be formed as an integrated single structure.Portions14,16,18, and20 are denoted by the dashed-line enclosures for descriptive purposes and accordingly, the interfaces of the different portions may be adjusted as necessary in different embodiments. It should also be understood that not all sections or portions described above are required at once to allow the present invention to function.

In one embodiment,tail portion14 is shaped to taper from an interface withcenter portion16 toward afirst end23.Tail portion14 is substantially tubular and hollow for receiving acable12, which encloses the wires leading from audio source11 totransducer24.Cable12 is operably coupled totransducer24 to carry signals, which can be converted to an audio signal bytransducer24.Cable12 is used to protect the wires and may be made from a non-conductive material, as is known in the art. It is noted thatcable12 may be received by other portions ofspeaker housing19 in other embodiments of the present invention.

Optionally, acable boot13 can be operably coupled tofirst end23 oftail portion14. In this embodiment,cable boot13 surrounds a portion ofcable12 immediately adjacent tofirst end23 oftail portion14 to protectcable12 from strain typically experienced in this portion ofcable12 due to the bending and pulling ofcable12 that may cause a malfunction. It is noted thatcable boot13 may be coupled to other portions ofspeaker housing19 in other embodiments of the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 2,center portion16 extends fromtail portion14 and forms a substantially curved conical section increasing in diameter fromtail portion14 toward head portion18.Center portion16 includes a substantially concave surface17, which provides for an ergonomic form to allowheadset10 to securely and comfortably mount on the user's ear. For example, concave surface17 allowstail portion14 andcenter portion16 to contact the tragus and anti-tragus and/or the intertragic notch of the user's ear with improved stability and comfort.

Head portion18 extends fromcenter portion16 and houses transducer24 (outline shown by long dashed lines).Transducer24 can be any type of electromagnetic, piezoelectric, or electrostatic type of driving element, or a combination thereof, or another form of driving element, for generating sound waves from the output face of the transducer.

In one embodiment,transducer24 receives electric signals from audio signal source11 via wires incable12. The signals may be digital or analog in nature.Transducer24 converts the electric signal to an audio signal and directs the audio signal toward faceplate21 (FIG.4). In another embodiment,transducer24 may receive signals through wireless communication channels, such as by Bluetooth™ protocols and hardware, in one example.

Head portion18 is substantially conical with an increasing diameter extending fromcenter portion16 towardthin edge portion20. However, head portion18 is sized to be as small as the enclosed transducer will allow to maximize fit into the recess of the user's ear. In one example, with no intent to limit the invention thereby, the diameter oftransducer24 is between about 12 mm and about 14 mm, preferably about 13.6 mm.

Thin edge portion20 extends from head portion18 and is shaped to have a substantially constant diameter in one embodiment. In another embodiment,thin edge portion20 may also have the substantially same diameter as head portion18 where the twoportions18 and20 meet. In one embodiment,thin edge portion20 may be molded as a single structure with head portion18. In other embodiments,thin edge portion20 may include a separate cap that is operably coupled to head portion18.Thin edge portion20 is sized to be as thin as possible to interface with faceplate21 and accommodate the transmission of sound fromtransducer24. In one example,thin edge portion20 is formed to have a thickness T (FIG. 2 inset) of less than about 1 mm.

Thin edge portion20 interfaces with faceplate21 (FIG.4), which is used to direct sound fromtransducer24 toward the user's eardrum, regardless of whetherearbud headset10 is in the right ear or the left ear. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to a specific faceplate and any appropriate faceplate that fits within thin edge portion20 (and in some cases head portion18) may be used to direct sound from the transducer to the user's eardrum.

Advantageously,thin edge portion20 allows for enhanced acoustic coupling to deeper areas of the user's ear, in particular the entrance area to the ear canal, to block out external noise while directing sound from the transducer to the eardrum. Excluding external sounds from the ear and providing increased coupling to the entrance to the ear canal enhances the performance ofearbud headset10 in a noisy environment.

As further illustrated in FIGS. 2,3,4, and5, abias member22 is operably attached tospeaker housing19. It is noted thatbias member22 is coupled tospeaker housing19 along a portion substantially behind and apart from the plane of the surface of faceplate21. In one embodiment,bias member22 is operably coupled tospeaker housing19 along head portion18 or alongcenter portion16. In another embodiment,bias member22 is operably coupled tospeaker housing19 substantially opposite concave surface17.

Bias member22 allows for a contact area “C” (FIG. 5) between top portion25 (FIGS. 3 and 4) ofbias member22 and a portion of the user's upper concha, below the antihelix, when the earbud headset is worn. Accordingly,top portion25 ofbias member22 is substantially set apart from and/or behind a plane of faceplate21 interfaced withthin edge portion20 and will make contact with the user's upper concha apart from that plane. Contact area “C”, in conjunction with the positioning ofbias member22 alongspeaker housing19, provides sufficient pressure and friction to increase headset stability and acoustic coupling betweenthin edge portion20 and the user's ear when head portion18 andtransducer24 are placed deeper into a user's ear because of the advantageously formedthin edge portion20.

Advantageously, the positioning ofbias member22 along head portion18 orcenter portion16 allows for a biasing force Z with components along the x and y axes (FIG.2), against the headset wherebias member22 is coupled tospeaker housing19. Axis x and axis y are parallel and perpendicular, respectively, to a surface of faceplate21 interfaced withthin edge portion20. Accordingly, biasing force Z is directed towardthin edge portion20 and faceplate21 in a direction between the x and y axes. In one embodiment, biasing forces are provided againstspeaker housing19 behindtransducer24 and toward faceplate21 with components parallel and perpendicular (i.e., along y and x axes) to faceplate21. Therefore,bias member22, in accordance with the present invention, allows for biasing forces substantially apart from and/or behind the plane of faceplate21 interfaced withthin edge portion20. Advantageously, such biasing forces along the x and y axes towardthin edge portion20 and faceplate21 provide for enhanced headset stability and acoustic coupling to the ear.

In one embodiment,bias member22 is movably connected to head portion18 by a movable joint, such as a hinge mechanism. In another embodiment,bias member22 and head portion18 are coupled as a single structure, thereby not allowing for any movement betweenbias member22 and the speaker housing. It should be understood thatbias member22 may be coupled to head portion18 by conventional means known in the art, such as by an adhesive or by molding as a single structure with the speaker housing.

Bias member22 is elongated and flexible in one embodiment, permitting a spring hinge-like action which automatically adjustsbias member22 to the size and shape of the upper concha, while providing sufficient force to holdspeaker housing19, in particular head portion18 andthin edge portion20, against the lower concha. In one embodiment,bias member22 is made of material that is sufficiently rigid to provide both flexibility for, and resistance to, positional deformation, and which allows for comfortable and safe biasing against the user's ear. For example,bias member22 can be made from a non-abrasive and flexible material, such as a soft elastomer, foam, plastic material, and the like.

Bias member22 is also formed into a shape for comfortable and safe biasing against the user's ear, and in particular, the upper concha. In one embodiment,bias member22 is shaped to curve away fromthin edge portion20 and towardcenter portion16 to enhance contact with the upper concha of the user's ear and to provide greater bias force.Bias member22 may further have a uniform width or can taper from head portion18 toward the tip that will contact the upper concha.Bias member22 can also taper in the reverse direction from the tip that will contact the upper concha toward head portion18. However, the present invention is not limited to the aforementioned shapes forbias member22 and any shape or shapes may be used which allow for comfortable, safe, and stabilizing contact with the user's upper concha.

It is noted thatbias member22 may need to be flexed in order to maintain the contact point against the surface of the upper concha. The degree of angular flexure is dependent upon the size and shape of the user's ear, particularly the upper concha, the antihelix, and the crux of the helix. The general flexibility and resilience ofbias member22 in combination with the overall shape of the speaker housing advantageously allowbias member22 to automatically adjust to the size and shape of the user'supper concha43 without any additional mechanical devices so as to be universally-fitting while providing stability and comfort.

FIG. 5 illustrates the positioning ofearbud headset10 mounted on a user's ear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Whenheadset10 is fully mounted on the ear,headset10 may contact the user's ear in at least three areas to provide effective acoustic coupling with improved stability and comfort. Head portion18 andthin edge portion20 may first be placed in the lower concha area to form a first contact area “A”. Advantageously, the thin edge portion allows for greater coupling in front of the ear canal, and since no accessories such as rings or cushions are required, sound may be more clearly transmitted to the ear canal, resulting in improved sound quality. Ascenter portion16 andtail portion14 are simultaneously mounted on the ear with head portion18 andthin edge portion20, a second contact area “B” is formed betweencurved section16 and/ortail portion14 and the tragus and anti-tragus and/or intertragic notch of the user's ear. Finally, whenbias member22 is mounted on the ear, at least a third contact area “C” is formed betweenbias member22 and a portion of the upper concha of the user's ear.

The multiple contact areas with the ear distribute weight and pressure such thatheadset10 is more stable on the ear, and the required contact force against the concha area of the ear is reduced, which results in enhanced, long-term headset user comfort.

In headsets used for telephonic or similar type communications, a microphone may be positioned in the vicinity of the user's mouth, usually by a tubular extension, voice tube, boom, or in-line pod, for receiving the user's voice and transmitting it over a telecommunications line. Referring again to FIG. 5,earbud headset10 may include amicrophone52 and/or a microphone54 to enable two-way voice communication by the user in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment,microphone52 may be attached to aboom50, which is operably connected to the speaker housing, in particular totail portion14 in one example. Optionally, a movable joint51, such as a swinging mechanism, may coupleboom50 tospeaker housing19, such thatboom50 may swing back and forth to the user's mouth and lock into a position as desired by the user.

In another embodiment, microphone54 is enclosed in apod53 belowspeaker housing19 inline withcable12. Microphone faceplate55 provides a mesh opening on one side ofpod53 to allow the user to transmit voice signals as desired.Microphone pod53 may further include volume control and/or a call switch by including a circuit board operably embedded into the pod and operably connected inline withcable12 to allow for quick access to volume control and/or actuation of the answer/end call function.

Headset10 may also include aclothing pin56 for keepingmicrophone pod53 close to the user's mouth and/orcable12 close to the user's body.

Furthermore, a connector58 operably connects the earbud headset to an audio source11 (FIG.2), such as a telephone handset, cellular telephone, a media device, or a computer, and a transmitter for sending voice signals from the user. In one example, with no intent to limit the invention thereby, connector58 is a 2.5 mm plug or a suitable adapter that allows coupling to the audio source device.

FIGS. 6-7 show different perspective views of anenhanced earbud headset10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows anenhanced earbud headset10 mounted in a model ear in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

The above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention. Therefore, the appended claims encompass all such changes and modifications.

Claims (27)

What is claimed is:

1. An earbud headset, comprising:

a speaker housing, including:

a head portion for contacting a lower concha of a ear, and

a thin edge portion that extends from the head portion to interface with a faceplate; and

a bias member operably coupled to the speaker housing, wherein the bias member is capable of contacting a portion of the upper concha of the ear, and further wherein the bias member provides bias forces toward the plane of the faceplate.

2. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the head portion includes a transducer.

3. An earbud headset, comprising:

a speaker housing, including:

a head portion for contacting a lower concha of a ear, wherein the head portion includes a transducer, and

a thin edge portion that extends from the head portion to interface with a faceplate; and

a bias member operably coupled to the speaker housing, wherein the bias member is capable of contacting a portion of the upper concha of the ear, and further wherein the bias member provides bias forces on the speaker housing behind the transducer.

4. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the diameter of the head portion increases toward the thin edge portion.

5. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the thin edge portion has a thickness less than about 1 mm.

6. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the speaker housing further comprises a center portion capable of contacting a tragus and an anti-tragus of the ear.

7. The headset ofclaim 6, wherein the center portion includes a concave surface.

8. The headset ofclaim 7, wherein the bias member is operably coupled to the speaker housing opposite the concave surface.

9. The headset ofclaim 6, wherein the bias member is operably coupled to the center portion.

10. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the bias member is operably coupled to the head portion.

11. An earbud headset, comprising:

a speaker housing, including:

a head portion for contacting a lower concha of a ear, and

a thin edge portion that extends from the head portion to interface with a faceplate; and

a bias member operably coupled to the speaker housing, wherein the bias member is capable of contacting portion of the upper concha of the ear, and further wherein the bias member is operably coupled to the speaker housing apart from a plane of the thin edge portion.

12. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the bias member is capable of contacting a portion of the upper concha of the ear in a different plane than the faceplate.

13. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the bias member curves away from the thin edge portion.

14. The headset ofclaim 1, wherein the bias member is detachable from the speaker housing.

15. The headset ofclaim 1, further comprising a microphone operably coupled to the speaker housing.

16. The headset ofclaim 15, wherein the microphone is embedded in a pod along at least one wire coupling the transducer to an audio source.

17. The headset ofclaim 15, wherein the microphone is operably coupled to a boom which is operably coupled to the speaker housing.

18. An earbud headset, comprising:

a speaker housing, including:

a center portion including a concave surface,

a head portion that extends from the center portion for contacting a lower concha of a ear, wherein the head portion includes a transducer, and

a thin edge portion that extends from the head portion to interface with a faceplate; and

a bias member operably coupled to the speaker housing, wherein the bias member is capable of contacting a portion of the upper concha of the ear, and further wherein the bias member is operably coupled to the speaker housing opposite the concave surface.

19. The headset ofclaim 18, wherein the thin edge portion has a thickness less than about 1 mm.

20. The headset ofclaim 18, wherein the bias member is coupled to the center portion.

21. The headset ofclaim 18, wherein the bias member is coupled to the head portion.

22. The headset ofclaim 18, wherein the bias member provides bias forces on the speaker housing behind the transducer.

23. The headset ofclaim 18, wherein the bias member provides bias forces toward the plane of the faceplate.

24. An earbud headset, comprising:

a speaker housing, including:

a tail portion for contacting an intertragic notch of the ear,

a center portion that extends from the tail portion, wherein the center portion is capable of contacting a portion of a tragus and an anti-tragus of an ear,

a head portion that extends from the center portion for contacting a lower concha of a ear, wherein the head portion includes a transducer, and

a thin edge portion that extends from the head portion to interface with a faceplate; and

a bias member operably coupled to the head portion, wherein the bias member is capable of contacting a portion of the upper concha of the ear, and further wherein the bias member provides bias forces toward the plane of the faceplate.

25. The headset ofclaim 24, wherein the tail portion tapers away from the center portion.

26. The headset ofclaim 24, wherein the thin edge portion has a thickness less than about 1 mm.

27. The headset ofclaim 24, wherein the bias member provides bias forces on the speaker housing behind the transducer.

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